Building Digital Cities as a Social Information Infrastructure

在本研究中，我们将数字城市定义为通过互联网收集和提供城市信息的社会信息基础设施。提出了数字城市的三层架构，即信息层、接口层和交互层。我们建立了数位城市京都实验论坛，由几个研究机构、地方当局、公司和志愿者组成。该论坛开发并维护了京都数字城市原型。通过本次活动，我们取得了以下研究成果：数字城市的信息共享我们开发了一个名为“地理链接”的系统，它集成了网络和地理信息系统。在GeoLink中，网页的XY坐标是根据页面上写的邮政地址确定的，可以搜索京都的5000多个网页。我们还开发了GeoLinkSQL，这是一种类似sql的语言，使我们能够编写查询，指定网页的地理和超链接关系。数字城市的人机界面我们为GeoLink开发了基于地图的用户界面。启用邻域搜索、类别搜索和关键字搜索功能。搜索结果是指向搜索网页的超链接，以图标的形式叠加在地图图像上。我们还开发了Shijo购物街（京都最受欢迎的购物街）的3D实现。我们使用3DML和数码相机拍摄的照片。这个3D京都与GeoLink共享信息，我们可以在走过3D城市时找到邻居的网页。数字城市中的社会互动我们结合聊天系统和3DML为游客开发了一个数字城市巴士之旅。导游将带领游客在三维空间中聊天。这是一个支持数字城市用户之间社交互动的代理原型。

In this research we defined digital cities as a social information infrastructure that gathers and provides urban information through the Internet. We proposed the three layer architecture for digital cities, which consists of the information layer, the interface layer, and the interaction layer. We established Digital City Kyoto Experiment Forum, which includes several research institutes, local authorities, companies, and volunteers. The forum developed and maintained Digital City Kyoto Prototype. We have achieved the following research results through this activity.1. Information Sharing in Digital CitiesWe developed a system called GeoLink that integrates the Web and the geographical information system. In GeoLink the XY coordinates of the web pages are determined based on the postal addresses written in the pages, and more than 5000 web pages in Kyoto can be searched. We have also developed GeoLinkSQL, which is an SQL-like language that enables us to write a query that specifies geographical and hyperlink relations of web pages.2. Human Interface for Digital CitiesWe developed map-based user interface for GeoLink. This interface enables neighborhood search, category search, and keyword search. The search results, which are hyperlinks to the searched web pages, are superimposed as icons on a map image. We also developed 3D implementation of Shijo Shopping Street (Kyoto's most popular shopping street). We used 3DML and photos taken by digital cameras. This 3D Kyoto shares the information with GeoLink, and we can find neighbor web pages while walking through the 3D City.3. Social Interaction in Digital CitiesWe developed a digital bus tour for visitors to the digital city by combining a chat system and 3DML. The tour guide agent will lead chatting visitors through 3D space. This is a prototype of agents that support social interaction among users of digital cities.